Pit-car wheel.



Elm-887,241. PATENTED MAY 12,1908. W. G. FOWNES', JR. & R. J.. GARDNER.

PIT GAR WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1906.

mvsu-rons MX-fiu "MM WITNEIESESI Uni! ra'ijnn'r which.

WILLIAM C. FOWNES, JR, AND ROBERT J. GARDNER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNOBB TO S. JARVIS ADAMS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

rr'r-oea warmer).

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. FowNEs, Jr., and ROBERT J GARDNER, citizens of the United States, both residing at Pittsburg, in

.which is at all times so located as to be thoroughly oiled; and to provide a rotary device of thekind described which shall have an oil feedin device permanently secured over the end 0 the axis, and at the same time permitting inspection of the end of'theaxis and access to the fastening devices.

These andother objects will be fully explained in the descri tion following.

Referring to the rawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an end elevation of aselected form of our invention. Fi 2 is a longitudinal section of a wheel, em bodying our improvements. Fig. 3 is a section showing a modified sleeve and. bearlng.

On 2 the hub of a wheel rotarily mounted on the axle. The interior of' the hub is provided with two series or sets of circular runways or races 3 for the antifriction rollers 4;. The races and rollers are preferably the same as shown in United States Patent, N 0. 785,944, granted to William C.'Fownes, Jr. We have shown two sets of races, with three races in a set, the adjacent races of each set being without the rollers, but we do not confine ourselves to a definite number ot'sets or to a definite number of races in a" set or to a definite number of races occupied by rollers, or even to the presence of the races and rollers, un-

lose they are specifically named in the claims.

The rollers track or roll on the outer surface of the metal sleeve 5, which encircles the axle and extends from the shoulder or collar 6 on' the axle to the outer end of the hub. The sleeve 5 has its inner end in engagement with the shoulder 6 and is provided externally at about the middle of its length with the collar or hearing 7 ,which may be brazed Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12,

the drawings, represents the axle and Patented May 12, 1908.

1906. Serial.No. 325,'l6e.

{ thereto as shown in Fig. 3, or otherwise se cured thereto by u setting or fianging, as shown in Fig. 2 or 0t ierwise, so as to be rigid therewith. The bearing 7 lies between the said two sets of races 3, above described A second collar or bearing ring 8 surrounds the sleeve 5 and is secfiured by rivets or otherwise to the flange of one of the races 3, as shown in Fig. 2, this caring ring having one face in frictional contact with one face of the bearing 7. It is clear that other means may be irovided for supporting the bearing 8, but if t e races are employed, one of them furnishes a convenient support therefor.

The outer end of the oh 2 is cm bred by the plate 9, which has a central opening for the axle l, and furnishes an abutment for the outer race 3 and a stop to hold the rollers 4 in the said race.

The hollow oil-conductor 10 is arched over the end of the axle l and is preferably in alincnient with the space between the said two sets of races or their equivalent. By this construction the oil is admitted from the oil ductsdirectly to bearings 7 and R which are the parts of the wheel that sustain the endwise thrusts of the wheel on the axle. In wheels as'usually constructed, the said thrusts are taken by the collar 6 and the inwardly extending hub-flange 14 at the inner end of the hub, and by a washer or nut at the "outer end thereof. The collar 6 and the flange 14 and adjacent portions of the hub and axle have been found very diflicult coming ry and worn before their condition became known. With our constructionthe thrusts are entirely taken from qthe said flange and collar.

The rotation of the wheel and the action of gravitation cause the llow of oil to the ducts 13. The oil may occu the spaces about the races and rollers wit lou't flowing out at the end of the hub, provided its level is not above the lower edge of the flange 14 or of the openings in the plat-c9. The packing 15 is through the plate 9 and the huh I to points to be kept well oiled, these parts often bep vent-the wheel from slipping off from the axle in case the bearing 7 should become loose on-the sleeve 5. this pin or any equivalent device .is readily accessible without the necessity of removing the oil-conductor 10. have the ends of the hub and axle entirely covered by a cap, the pin17 is not. accessible at all ,times, as the cap must be first removed. This requiresremovable fastenings, as nuts and bolts, for the cap. Such fastenings are not satisfactory as they are liable to become loose and permit the joints between the parts to leak, thus wasting the oil and permitting the bearing to become dry. The frequent removal and replacement of the caps also causes leakage .of oil owing to the injury to the-packing, or want of care in making the joint-tight. All these defects we avoid by making the said joints permanent when the wheel is built.

The sleeve 5 is preferably made loose on the axle so that the same may revolve and thereby distribute the wear uniformly around the same.

In car-wheels the under side of the axle becomes Worn the most rapidly, as is clear. If our sleeve were rigid on the axle, it would become worn rapidly .on its under side. By making the sleeve loose on the It will be noticed that In prior wheels which axle, it slowly rotates on the axle, thus con-' tinually presenting afresh surface to sustain the pressure and wear of the rollers 4. This feature, while not being absolutely essential in all the embodiments of the present invention, is a very important one,1nasmuch as it prolongs the life of the sleeve many times.

We do not limit ourselves to the precise construction shown and described, but desire our claims to cover all. devices which are fair equivalents thereof.

We claim- ..1. The combination of a bearing, a sleevev concentric therewith, a wheel concentric with and rotatable on the sleeve, and a pair of'cooperating lateral thrust-bearing members, one carried by the sleeve and the otherby the wheel, the thrust-bearing member on said sleeve being composed of a fold of the Wall thereof.

2. The combination of a bearing, a wheel concentric therewith and rotatable thereon, flanged race rings in the wheel-hub, antifriction rollers in a selected number of said race-rings, a lateral thrust-bearing member secured to one of the race-rings, and a second lateral thrust-bearing member in engagement with the first thrust-bearing member. Signed at Pittsburg, Pa, this 6th day or Witnesses:

F. N. BARBER, ALICE E. DUFF. 

